1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to the command and control of robotic platforms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional approaches to command and control (“C2”) of mobile robotic platforms, including unmanned ground, sea, or air vehicles, typically require constant human interaction or intervention. Generally, the current state of robotic C2 relies on either remote control, teleoperation, or map-based semi-autonomy.
Remote control is conventionally implemented by having a remote operator directly control the robot. Typically, any and all actions executed by the robot are directly controlled by the operator, who is assumed to be in line-of-sight to the robot. The operator watches the robot and controls it through an operator control unit (“OCU”). The OCU is a remote device that can be tethered to the remote platform, but typically is not. The OCU typically has a joystick or other steering controller to control the movement and/or operation of the remote platform. The human operator must visually follow the unmanned vehicle to determine the next course of action and command the unmanned vehicle through the OCU to conduct that course of action. This operation is similar to operation of a remote-control toy car, where operation can be subject to visibility and distance limitations.
In conventional teleoperation of a robotic platform, the OCU typically includes a video display and joystick for a human operator to control the robotic platform. Teleoperation is similar to remote control, but the line-of-sight restriction can be removed by utilizing sensors such as cameras (e.g., a camera on the vehicle viewed through a video display in the OCU) that give the operator a sense of the robot's environment and actions. An operator watches sensor output from the robot and controls the robot's actions with a joystick. In one example, the OCU can have a video display to monitor the actions of the robotic platform and/or the environment. The human operator uses the joystick on the OCU to operate the robot, making observations through the video display.
In conventional semi-autonomous control of a robotic platform, the robot follows a sequence of GPS waypoints using sensors on board the robotic platform to detect and avoid any obstacles it may encounter. Using a conventional map-based OCU, robots are controlled by entering sequences of waypoints and tasks through the OCU. The robot then moves through the waypoints, carries out the tasks autonomously, and requires retasking upon completion or upon encountering circumstances that prohibit completion. For example, a human operator, based on location and limited information regarding the surroundings, designates waypoints on a map or overhead imagery, thereby commanding the robot to travel from a first coordinate to a second coordinate and so on to successive waypoints. The robot can be commanded to perform designated tasks at each waypoint, or along each path between waypoints.